Showdown With No. 1 Stanford On Senior Night
November 25, 2014 | Volleyball
This Week In Husky Volleyball
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26
#5 Washington hosts #1 Stanford • 5:00 p.m.
Alaska Airlines Arena
Live Stats - Live on Pac-12 Network
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28
#5 Washington at Washington State • 5:00 p.m.
Pullman, Wash. - Bohler Gym
Live Stats - Live on Pac-12 Network
SEATTLE - Volleyball fans will give thanks this week that the long-awaited match between the Pac-12's top two teams this season has finally arrived. The fifth-ranked Huskies, 27-2 on the year and 16-2 in the Pac-12, will look to be the first team to knock off No. 1 Stanford, the last remaining unbeaten in Division I with a 28-0 record and 18-0 conference record. Washington needs to win on Wednesday and again on Friday in the regular season finale in Pullman against Washington State to have a chance at defending its Pac-12 title. The battle with the Cardinal goes off at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow evening and will be live on the Pac-12 Networks.
If the top-five showdown were not enough, Wednesday will also be Senior Night, as the careers of two All-Americans are celebrated. Krista Vansant and Kaleigh Nelson will be saluted prior to the match, so fans should arrive early to make sure they catch the video tributes to a pair that have made a huge impact at Washington.
Due to the unbalanced schedule, the Huskies and Cardinal have not met all season until Wednesday. For several weeks, they were the top-two teams in the AVCA coaches poll, until the Huskies suffered their first loss two weeks ago at Colorado. But Washington bounced back well with sweeps of the Arizona schools last weekend.
No Pac-12 team has gone undefeated through conference play since USC in 2003, something the Huskies will look to stop Stanford from doing. The Cardinal have been pushed on a number of occasions, winning five matches in fifth sets, and nine more in four sets, with 14 sweeps. Washington's and Stanford's stats are now remarkably similar heading into the match, with Stanford hitting .317 and the Huskies hitting .313. Washington is holding opponents to .172 for the year with Stanford at .173. Junior setter Madi Bugg was the 2013 Pac-12 Setter of the Year and leads the NCAA with 12.01 assists per set. Junior Inky Ajanaku and redshirt freshman Merete Lutz are two of the most prolific middle blockers in the country; Lutz is third in the NCAA with a .451 attack percentage and Ajanaku is fifth at .446. Ajanaku's 3.58 kills per set are the most on the team. Senior libero Kyle Gilbert is second in the Pac-12 with 4.77 digs per set. Junior Jordan Burgess also averages 3.05 kills per set and 3.22 digs per set. The teams split their two matches last year, with UW winning in five sets at home.
Closing out the season against the rival Cougars will be a challenge despite WSU's misleading 10-20 record. Washington State has been competitive and taken sets in almost every match. Despite losing their past eight matches, the Cougars have won a set in all eight, and lost in five sets four times, including their last three against ranked opponents. The Huskies won the first meeting way back on Sept. 24 in straight sets. Sophomore Kyra Holt continues to lead the attack with 3.38 kills per set and middle Chelsey Bettinson ranks behind only Lianna Sybeldon in blocks in the Pac-12 with 1.47 per set. WSU is hitting .196 for the year but holding opponents to just .218.
After the regular season wraps, the NCAA selection show will air this coming Sunday, Nov. 30, at 5:30 p.m. Pacific time on ESPNU.
